Machine



Oct. I3, 1925- J. R. NOLAN STAPLING MACHINE Filed April 20.

1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 oct. 13,1925. 1,557,517

J. R. NOLAN STAPLING MACHINE -Filed April 2o.` 1922 5 sheets-sheet 3 J.R. NOLAN STAPLING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed April 2O 1922 ,lill

MSN

ou. 1a, 1925. l 1,557,317

J. R. NOLAN sTAPLING MACHINE Filed April 2o, 1922 5 sheets-sheet 5 C l0-z' @9 l 69 a v l Patented @et 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT onirica.

.TOI-IN R. NOLAN, F NEN? YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB. TO THE DIAMOND MATCHCOMPANY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS..

STAPLING: MACHINE.

Application filed April 2D, 1922.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN R. NOLAN, a citizen ot' the United States, andresident ot' the city of New York, borough of Manhattamin the county ofNew York and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovemen-ts in Sta-pling Machines, of Which theiolloiving is avspecification.

'Ihis invention relates to staplng machines, having reference moreparticularly to machines employing staple forming, drive ing andclinching mechanisms.

The invention is especially applicable to machines tor use in theproduction oi" socal-led book matches comprising cards oit matchesstitched by Wire staples to their respective covers; although, ofcourse, a niachine embodying the principles of the invention may beadvantageously employed to staple sheets or books of different kinds ordescriptions.

The invention is herein illustrated iu connection With the bookfmatchmaking machine forming the subject ot U. S. Patent No. 1,468,810, datedSeptember 18, 1923, which machine embodies an endless carrier by meansoi which associated card matches and covers are supported inco-operative relation to the stitching mechanism. The said carrier isconstructed and arranged to receive a succession of spaced-apart coversand transport. them to a location Where card matches are delivered tosucceeding series ot covers; and the stitching mechanism is; soconstructed and arranged in relation to the path of the carrierthat,immediately upon the delivery of the cards to the covers in theconveyer, Wide staples arel driven into and through the respectiveassociated cards and covers, and the protruding legs of the' staples arethen simultaneously clinched against the covers in a `mannerto completethe stitching operation. Thereupon the carrier transports the unitedcards and cov,e ers to other devices Whichprogressively eftect andcomplete the book-forming operation. Y

The construction, organization and operations of the variousinstrumentalities constituting my improved stapling machine, in apreferred form of embodiment ofthe invention, Will be hereinafterdescribed in de-v tail, and the precise scope of the invention then bedefined in the appended claims; it being understood that the mechanismshere Serial No. 555,696.

in disclosed may be greatly modiiied Without departure from the fairspirit of the invention.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation or" stapling mechanismembodying the principle of my invention, the mechanism being illustratedas applied to a book-match machine, parts of `which are indicated indotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, enlarged, through thestitcher head, and ad-` juncts, as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showingthe anvils in their forward position preparatory to the feeding of theWires across the anvils. In this View a portion of the carrier withbook-matches therein and also a part of one of the sprocket Wheels forthe carrier are shown.

Fig. 3 is a similar section in av plane through the head and the stapleclinching hars, but showing the mechanisms in stapleforming position.

Fig. 4t is a section similarl to Fig. 3. but showing `the `mechanisms inthe position which they occupy upon the completion of the driving andclinehing of the staples.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section, of'a portion of thetable of the book match machine with a portion Iot' the carrier Withcovers therein, showing the clinching bars and the spaced-apart anvilsof the stapling mechanism, including the blockin Wiich said bars andanvils are mounted.

Y Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the clinch# ing` bars separated. u

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through a portion ot' the block showingone end oit the clinching bars and the rotary cam for ac tuating thesame. f

Fig. 8 is a section through said block and bars, on the line 8 8 of Fig.7.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the Wire-feeding mechanism, the table beingindicated in' section. Y

Fig. 10 is a transverse vertical section through the Wire-feedingmechanism, as on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings, 11 designates a supporting frame, includinga'table 12; 13 designates a main shalt, and 14, 15 desig-` natetivodriven shafts appropriately geared together and With thev main shaft,all said shafts extending longitudinally of the machine and being inparallelism. t

17 designates .an endless chain oi' links,

ll l) constituting a cover and card carrier, the upper run of whichtravels intermittently along a guide way on the top of the table. At oneend of the table book-match covers a having folded end portions Z areintroduced into the links of the carrier, such covers thus beingtransported in spaced relation to each other toward the opposite end ofthe table. A bar 18, which is supported on the table and is arranged tooverhang the end folds longitudinally of and adjacent the upper run ofthe carrier, is provided along its forward edge with a depending lip orshoulder 19 against which the `free edges of the folds contact land arethereby maintained in folded condition during the progress of the coverswith the carrier.

The chain passes about sprocket wheels mounted at the respective ends ofthe table, one of which wheels is shown at 20. On the shaft 21 of thiswheel is a pinion 22 in mesh with the gear `teethl of a pin wheel 23which is mounted on a suitably-disposed -studshaft 24. The pins 25 ofthe pin wheel engage a cam 26 fast on the main shaft 13, the contour ofwhich cam is such that the pin wheel is intermittently rotated and themotion transmitted thence through the gearing to the carrier.'

In the present instance the carrier in each movement thereof travels adistance of three links, and in each succeeding dwell of the carrier theco-vers contained in three links are not only supplied with cardmatches, but the three covers with their associated cards are presentedto the action of the stitching mechanism, the lpreferred form of whichwill now be described.

Mounted on the table l2 "and adjacent the path of the carrier, is Aastitchei' head comprising a standard 27 having a forwardly extendingportion 28 which overliangs the bar 18 in proximity to the cardinserting station, said portion 28 having a series (in this case three)of vertical guide bores 29 in spaced relation to each other and directlyabove and centrally of the folded ends of the respective covers borne bythe carrier links at said station. The bar is provided with openings 30directly below the respective bores 29.

Slidably mounted in each of the bores 29 is a hollow plunger v31, termeda stapleforming plunger, having a bifurcated depending portion whereofthe spacedapart depending members 32 lare vertically grooved in theirinner sides, as at 33. The space between the inner sides of the membersi-s substantially equal to the length of a sta.- ple between the legs ofthe latter, the grooves being p-roperly proportioned to receive andsupport such legs when a staple is formed and positioned between themembers, as hereinafterdescribed.

Vithin each of the hollow plungers 3l is slidably mounted a plunger 34,termed a staple driver, having a head 35 which is connected by means ofa link .36 with an arm 37 fast on a rock-shaft 38 journaled in the upperportionof the standard 27. Hence by actuation of the rock-shaft thestaple driver can be forcibly reciprocated. A spring 39 conhned withinthe hollow plunger and encircling the internal plunger 34 bears at itsrespective end-s against the head 35 and a lower annular flange 40within the plunger 31. The lower end of the driver plunger extendsbelowthe flange and is provided with a foot or collar 41 which, takingaga-inst the underside of the flange, limits the upward movement of thedriver plunger in relation to the forming plunger. `This collar ispreferably equipped with diametrically opposite inset strips 42 whichproject laterally of the periphery of the collar to provide verticalfeathers which are slidably fitted iii the grooves 33 of the formingplunger. The strength of the spring 39 is such that when the driverplunger is depressed tlic latter and its associated forming plunger arepositively and concurrently moved until the descent of the formingplunger is arrested, whereupon the driver plunger, overcoming the forceof the spring, completes its descent independently of the formingplunger. The spring thus coli-stitutes a resilient resisting elementbetween the two plungers. Upon the elevation of the driver plunger thecollar 41 thereof abuts against the flanged end of the forming plungerand positively raises the latter.

The three driving plungers '34 are reciprocated concurrently andpositively by ac tuation of the rock-shaft 38 in any suitable manner. Inthe present instance one end of the rock-shaft bears a crank-arm 43which is connected by means of a. link 44 with one end of a crank-lever45 that is hung on a shaft 46 supported in a bracket 47 depending fromthe table. The other arm of the crank lever is connected by means of alink 47 with the Lip-projecting arm 48 of a. rocklever 49 which isfulcrumed on a shaft 5() in Ya bracket 51 beneath the table. pending arm52 of the lever carries a roll 53 in operative engagement with the raceof a suitable cam 54 fast on the driven shaft 14, the contour of therace being such as to ensure through the lever and link connections justdescribed the timely positive operations of the respective stapledriving plungers.

Reciprocable into and from the paths 0f the bifurcated lower ends of theforming plungers 31 are anvil members comprising in the present instancehook-shaped arms 54 which are fast at their lower ends to a rock-shaft55 journaled in a suitably-disposed -block 55 on the table. The upper orThe del free end of each of the arms 54 is preferably rectangular incross-section, its width being substantially equal to the open space inthe bifurcated foot of the adjacent plunger 31, whereby the latter inits descent em braces the proximate arm when such arm is positioned tooverhang an opening 30 of the bar 18.

One of the anvil arms is connected by a lilik 56 with an arm 57 of abellcrank lever fulcrumed on the shaft 50. The other arm 58 of the levercarries a roll 59 which runs in the race of an appropriate cam 60 faston the shaft 14:, the contour of the race being such thatduring therotation of the cam the lever is positively actuated to effect thetimely operation of the rock-shaft and its anvil arms.

A plurality of strands of wire, 61, (in the prese-nt instance three)from which staples are to be formed, are simultaneously advanced tolocate the leading ends of the strands upon and across the respectiveanvil arms 54 when the latter are positioned to overhang the openings 80of the bar 18; suitable means being provided whereby staple lengths arecut from the ends of the respective strands. These strands, which aredrawn from a series of suitably-disposed reels, (not shown) pass throughthe bites of paired feed-rolls 62, 63 (Figs. 1, 9 and 10) which aremounted within a suitable housing 64 on the table, the rolls beingperipherally grooved to receive and guide the respective wires.

The upper rolls 62 are fast on a shaft 65 having its bearings in avertically-adjustable frame 66. This frame comprises a rectangularstructure whereof one side is pivoted inl and between lugs 67 on therear wall of the housing so as to overhang tihe latter. The end membersof this frame are perforated for the free passage of. tip-standingscrews 68 on the end walls of the housing, which screws are equippedwith thumb-nuts 69, that, bearing upon the end members, may bemanipulated to effect vert-ical adjustment of the frame and its rolls.

The lower rolls 63 are preferably mounted upon separate stud shafts 70carried by arms 71 extending inwardly from a rock-shaft 72 journaled inthe front wall of the housing, each of the arms, together with its shaftand roll7 being yieldingly supported by a spring 73 seated in a socket711 on the bottom of the housing. Thus the lower rolls 63 are maiirtained iirinly yet yieldingly in contact wit-l1 the respective upperrolls 62 so as to ensure the gripping of the wires. On one side of eachof the lower rolls is a gear wheel 75 in mesh with a gear wheel 76 on alower shaft 77 having its bearings in the end walls of the housing. Theshafts 65, 77 are extended at one end beyond the housing and areprovided with pinions 78 in mesh with an interposed spur wheel 79mounted on a stud shaft 8O projecting from the adjacent end of thehousing. Fast on the spur wheel is a ratchet-wheel 81 with the teeth ofwhich engages a pawl 82 carried by one arm 83 of an oscillatory cranklever loose on the stud shaft 80, said pawl being preferably held inoperative engagement with the ratchet wheel by means of alsuit-ably-disposed spring 84. The other arm 8l of the lever is connectedby means of a link 82 with the longer arm 83 of a crank lever which isfulcrumed on a bracket 85 beneath the frame bed. The shorter arm 86 ofthe latter lever bears a roll 87 which is held in contact with anappropriate cam 88 on the driven shaft 15, by means ofv a spring 89secured to the lever and the table; the conto-ur of the cam being suchthat in its rotation theV crank l'ver is oscillated toactuate the pawlconnect-ions in a manner to advance the ratchet-wheel 81 intermittently,and thus turn the feed rolls to effect the simultaneous feeding of thewires step-by-step. Each wire feeding impulse of the rolls occurs duringthe iirst part of each movement of the carrier.

The wires are guided from the feed rolls through guide tubes 9() whichare suitably curved and positioned to terminate laterally of the upperor free ends of the respective anvil arms when the arms are in theirforward position beneath the forming plungers. The bottom of thestandard portion 28 is preferably provided with perforated blocks 91which receive and support the ends of the respective tubes 90, theperforations of the blocks thus permitting the passage of the free endsof the wire transversely of the path of the plunger and above therespective anvils. (See Figs. 2, 3 and 4.) lVhen the wires are thuspositioned staple lengths are severed therefrom by suitable cutters. Inthe present instance each cutter comprises a blade 92 whichy isreciprocative vertically across the path of the wire. This bladeI isaffixed to the lower portion of the forming plunger, and is verticallymovable in a lateral channel 93 in the adj acentguide-bore of thestandard portion 28, whereby in the initial descent of the formingplunger the blade 92 is forcibly depressed in a manner to sever a staplelength from the leading end of the wire. Suitably-disposed dependingstuds 94 afford stops for the free ends of the respective wires whenthey are positioned on the anvils. f

The wire-feeding, staple-forming and staple-driving devicesabove-described are so constructed, arranged and ladapted to cooperatethat during each interval of movement of the carrier the anvils are intheir forward position; the feed rolls are actuated to feed the wirestransversely of and above the anvils, and the driving plungers arepartially depressed, thus similarly depressing the forming plungerswhich in their initial movement actuate the Cutters to `sever staplelengths from the wires as previously explained, and then bend down theends of the opposing wire lengths against the sides of the anvils in amanner to form staples whereof the legs are seated in the internalgrooves of the respective biturcated ends oi the forming plungers. (SeeFig. The anvils are then retracted i'rom the staples.

t Immediately upon the positioning of the cards c on their respectivecovers the driver plungers are positively depressed against the actionof the springs 39, so as to drive the legs oi the opposing staples intoand through the respective covers and their associated match cards,whereupon the protruding eilds of the legs ot the staples are clinchedagainst the under sides of the respective covers by the agency of a pairor oppositely-acting clinching bars 95. (See Fig. 4.) The operationsjust described occur in sequence during each movement and dwell of `thecarrier.

The clinching bars 95 are slidably arranged one upon the other in aguide-way 96 formed in the block 55 on the table, directly below thestaple-driving devices, whereby the sai-d bars can be simultaneouslyreciprocated in opposite directions to yeach other. rl"he lower bar isprovided with upstanding projections 98 which slidably enterlongitudinal slots 99 in the upper bar, -said projections and the slotsbeing in such spaced relation to each other that when the staples havebeendriven the protruding legs thereof depend into the spaces 100between the projections and the opposing ends 101 of the slots of therespective bars. Hence when the bars are simultaneously moved inward theprotruding legs oi' each staple are bent toward each other and againstthe under side of the 4adjacent cover by the action ci' the opposingportions 9S, 101 of the respective bars, the tops of which portions arelongitudinally grooved, as at 102, to receive `the clinched staple legs.

In the present instance the upper and lower bars are provided adjacentone end with depending studs 108, 104 respectively, the stud 103extending freely through an appropriate slot 105 in the lower bar. Thesestuds enter peripheral lcam grooves formed in a cam head 106 tast on oneend of the rock-shaft 55 which carries the anvil arms. Each of the camgrooves comprises a straight portion 108 and an inclined portion 109,the portions 109 ot' the two grooves being inclined in oppositedirections. The relation of the parts is such that the studs are engagedwith the straight portions of the grooves when the anvils are forwardand the clinching bars in outer or open position. Such studs remain thusengaged when the anvils are `retracted initially .from the staples anduntil `thelatter have been driven into Ythe underlying articles.Thereupon in the `continued retraction ot the anvils the inclinedportions of the cam grooves receive the studs and force them away fromeach other, thus moving theclinching bars in opposite directions toeffect the simultaneous clinching ot the staple legs. In the suc-@cedingmovementl of the rock-shaft to swing the anvils to their forwardor active position, the cam grooves act upon the studs to sliii't theclinching bars and space apart their clinching portions in readinessi'or a succeeding clinching operation.

By lthe mechanism just described it will be seen that the relativemovements. of the anvils and of the clinching bars are positivelyandetl-'ectively controlled by the operation oil the rock-shaft.

I claimyl. In a stapling machine, the combination with staple-formingmechanism including a reciprooative plunger, ot a staple-drivingplunger, means o-r positively reciprocating the latter' plunger, and aresilient resisting elementbetween. the two plungers, said elementnormally eillecting the positive and concurrent motion of the twoplungers during the staple-forming operation and thereai'ter being.compressed by the driving plunger to .permit the independent drivinglotion of the latter plunger.

2. In a stapling machine, the combination with staple-forming mechanism,including a reciprocative tubular plunger, of a stapledriving plungertelescopically mounted in said tubular plunger, means tor positivelyreciprocating the staple driving plunger, a spring encircling the stapledriving plunger and tending to press the plungers longitudinally inopposite directions to each other, and stop co-acting with the saidplungers to limit their opposite directional movements and maintain themin idle position, said spring being non-compressible during the initialworking stroke of the staple-driving plunger so as to actuate the stapletorming .plunger positively and concurrently with the driving plunger,and being thereafter compressible by the driving plunger to permit Atheindependent driving motion of the latter plunger.

3. In a stapling machine, the combination with staple-forming mechanismincluding a reciprocative plunger, of a. .staple-driving plunger'extending axially and slidably through the forming plunger, means forpositively reciprocating the staple-driving plunger, a resisting springinterposed between 'the 'two plungers, and a stop member on the actingend Loi: the staple-driving plunger, said member being normally held inContact with the opposing end ot' the formingv plunger by the force ofthe spring.

CII

4. In a stapling machine, the combination with a reciprocative plungerhaving a staple-forming portion, a reciprocative staple-driving plungermovable relatively to the first-named plunger, of an anvil movable` intoand from the path of said stapleforming portion, a rock-shaft operableto effect the movement of said anvil at predetermined intervals inrespect to the oper ation of the plungers, oppositely-acting clinchingmembers positioned to receive the protruding legs of a staple when theyare driven, a cam on said rock-shaft, and a connection between the saidcam and the respective clinching members whereby said members aresimultaneously moved in opposite directions to each other.

5. In a stapling machine, the combination with a reciprocative plungerhaving a stapleforming portion, a r-eciprocative stapledriving plungerin the first-named plunger, and means for actuating said plungers, of arock-shaft, an anvil thereon movable into and from the path of the saidstaple-forming portion, means for oscillating said shaft,oppositely-acting clinching members positioned to receive the protrudinglegs of a staple when they are driven, and cam connections between therock-shaft and the clinching members.

6. In a stapling machine, the combination with a reciprocative plungerhaving a stapleforming portion, a reciprocative stapledriving plunger inthe first-named plunger, aud means for actuating said plungers, of arock-shaft, an anvil thereon movable into and from the path of the saidstaple-forniing portion, means for oscillating said shaft, a pair ofoppositely-movable bars having clinching portions between which the legsof a sta-ple extend when they are driven, a cam member fast on saidshaft, and operative connections between said cam member and therespective bars.

7 In a stapling machine, the combination with a staple-formingmechanism, including a rock-shaft and an anvil fast thereon, of a pairof oppositely-movable bars having complementary clinching portions, acam member fast on said shaft, operative connections between said memberand the respective bars whereby the bars are simultaneously moved inopposite direction to each other, and means for oscillating said shaft-S. In a stapling machine, the combination with staple-forming mechanismincluding a reciprocative plunger, of a staple-driving plunger, meansfor positively reciprocating said plunger, a resilient resisting elementbetween the two plungers, said element normally effecting the positiveand concurrent motion of the two plungers during the staple-formingoperation and thereafter being compressed by the driving plunger topermit the independent driving motion of the latter plunger, an anvilmovable into and from the driving path of the staple-driving plunger,means for actuating said anvil at predetermined intervals in respect tothe operation of the plungers, means for intermittently feeding wireacross the anvil, and a wire cutter fast on the acting end of thestaple-forming plunger.

9. In a stapling machine, the combination with staple-forming mechanismincluding a reciproca-tive plunger, of a staple-driving plunger, meansfor positively reciprocating said plunger, a resilient resisting elementbetween the two plungers, said element permitting concurrent motion ofthe two plunger-s during the staple-forming operaation and thereafterindependent driving motion of the staple-driving plunger, an anvilmovable into and from the driving path of the staple-driving plunger,means for actuating said anvil at predetermined intervals in respect tothe operation of the plunger, means for intermittently feeding wireacross the anvil, a wire cutter fast on the acting end of thestaple-forming plunger, oppositely acting clinching members positionedto receive the protruding legs of a staple when thev are driven, andmeans including connections with the anvil for actuating said clinchingmembers.

10. In a stapling machine, the combination with a plurality of stapledriving mechanisms in spaced relation to each other, of a pair ofoppositely movable bars having pairs of clinching portions in operativerelation to the respective driving mechanism, and means forsimultaneously moving the said bars in opposite directions to eachother.

1l. In a stapling machine, the combination of a plurality ofstaple-forming mechanisms, each including a movable anvil, a pluralityof staple-driving mechanisms associated with the respective formingmechanisms, a pair of oppositely-movable bars having clinching portionsin operative relation to the respective driving mechanisms, and meansfor simultaneously operating said anvils, said means includingconnections whereby the said bars are simultaneously reciprocated inopposite directions to each other.

Signed at New York in the county and State of New York this 19th day ofApril JOHN R. NOLAN.

